Apart from their unique stories and aesthetics, Bala’s films are also noted for how their characters often go through a transcendentally gloomy fate towards the end. Roshini Prakash, who plays a prominent role in Bala’s upcoming film, Vanangaan, says she was not bothered by the director’s signature sombre tone while taking up the project.
She says, “I have seen all his films and when I signed onto the project, the only thing I could think of was how lucky I am. Bala sir is one of the cult filmmakers in India and more than the kind of character I was taking up, at the time, my only goal was to play a memorable character, which I’m sure is a given if you sign on to do a Bala sir film.”
Moreover, the actor says her character in Vanangaan is jovial and playful. “I play Tina who is an eccentric tomboy from Kanyakumari and I could see shades of all the other woman characters from Bala sir’s film in her.” Apart from working with trainers to pick up the local accent, the actor also spent time walking around the streets of Kanyakumari, observing people and picking up their body language. An insightful Roshini reveals how portraying a playful character was tougher than playing a serious role. “I realised the importance of timing in this film. Since this was a lighthearted role, I had to make sure all the quirkiness landed perfectly,” says Roshini.
Before Roshini Prakash and Arun Vijay took on the lead roles, Vanangaan’s ensemble cast included the likes of Suriya, Mamitha Baiju, and Krithi Shetty, who were replaced due to varying reasons. Rumours about a hostile working environment started emerging. While the rumours have been quelled by both the director and the ex-cast members, Roshini comments on her own experience.
“When I first took on the project, I read about the rumours and certain friends of mine were even concerned. But, take it from my own first-hand experience: nothing could be further from the truth. What I went through on-set was poles apart from all the rumours. Bala sir is an extremely calm person,” she says. Elaborating on her director’s working style, Roshini says,
“He is an experienced director who knows what he wants and is very disciplined. Bala sir is such a perfectionist that he would spot a small continuity error in a costume that even the actor would have missed. The producers have invested a lot of money and every time a mistake is made, it complicates things. Bala sir is extremely conscious of this, so if you don’t do your work, that’s when the problem comes.” As for her own experience, Roshini says it was a fun and memorable time working in Vanangaan.
Confessing to have gained a lot of confidence from the film, Roshini has a clear vision for how she wants her career to evolve going forward. She says, “I want to do the kind of films a cinephile would love to watch. I want the audience to hear my name and go, ‘She would have done something different.’” While she is optimistic about the number of women-centric roles in recent times, Roshini hopes the trend grows.
Despite her optimistic hopes, the actor believes that representation should not come at the cost of good writing. Roshini says, “If there are two characters in a film and they would work well as two men then don’t turn one into a woman just for the sake of representation, the same goes for purposefully reducing women roles or writing them around stereotypes. Ultimately, it is all in the service of the story. As actors, if a film wins, we win.”